The Life That Could Have Been
by helcub
Summary: What would have happened if Draco Malfoy had never went to Hogwarts? Would he still want to become a Death Eater or would a stranger in the night change his mind?
1. Chapter 1

_What would have happened if Draco Malfoy had never went to Hogwarts? Would he still want to become a Death Eater or would a stranger in the night change his mind?_

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><p><span>1<span>

Another rainy day around the grounds of Malfoy Manor had lead to the party being taken inside for a more sophisticated meal. The rain tapping on the window, which had at first been a gentle rhythm, was now drumming hard and began to leak through the window pane onto the unfortunate young boy who stood below. He was not old, could've only been 5 or 6 but he watched the rain with some intent, as if to force it to stop with the power of his mind. His mother and father were the hosts of the party and had insisted that he remained downstairs to help them with business, but the boy had no knowledge or interest for business and so, here he was staring out into the wilderness, hoping for something to happen.

Mr Malfoy had been very popular at the ministry and had decided to host a party for all of his co-workers. (Except for some reason, Mr. Weasley, which the boy could never understand) He had bought in new plates and ruby encrusted cutlery for the occasion. The house elves in the kitchen had been worked non stop for the past 3 weeks and they had barely gotten any sleep but it was all for the good of the household according to Mr Malfoy. As the guests entered they were greeted by Mrs Malfoy and the boy's aunt, Bellatrix. They then all went outside for some drinks. The boy hated his aunt Bellatrix, she reminded him of a rabid dog he had once seen in Diagon Alley, which did make him laugh but her devilish ways, her slithery walk and most of all her tongue like fire scared him. However she was the only member of his family to call him by his first name. Draco. This woman who most would fear, gave Draco more love than his mother ever could and his father, well, he had never gotten past a handshake.

He remembered the days when his mother and father went out and left him with Aunt Bellatrix. She acted cold and bitter in front of his parents but he remembered the soft kiss she gave him at night, the lullaby she sang and the games they would play in the living room. They used to make tents out of the good linen and use torches to find their way in the darkness; they would laugh and smile together. But those days were long gone. His parents had found out about the good linen and the torches, so now the only time he saw his Aunty Bellatrix was at social occasions but now even that would change. She had been on the run for years and was heading for Azkaban next week. She put on a brave face but behind the perfectly curled hair and the blushing cheeks there was a sobbing old Aunty Bea.

She was standing next to Mr Malfoy, who preferred to be called Luscious by his family, and Mrs Malfoy (Narcissa) was chatting to her sister as well.

That was when the _incident _happened. A high pitched scream echoed through the gold encrusted dining room of Malfoy Manor and made the boy jump. It was a house elf who had obviously gotten lost on his journey through the kitchen.

"URGH! Filthy vermin, dishonouring your masters," shouted Anthea Hillenby. (Mr Malfoy's adviser at the ministry)

"Well Malfoy, go on and kill it. It has broken the house elf code," pitched in Hugo Kuro, another of Mr Malfoy's co-workers.

"What? Oh yes, of course," Luscious answered, seeming almost disorientated from the pitch of the scream.

He took a few steps forward, grabbed his newly varnished wand and began to approach the elf. It wanted to run but new that it would be caught and severely punished but it would be punished anyway. He raised his wand and began, "AVAD…."

"STOP!" shouted Draco pushing past the crowd that had gathered and grabbing his fathers arm.

"Draco, not in front of my work," Luscious hissed. "Silly boy doesn't know about the house elf code," he laughed.

"I do Father. Leave him alone," Draco shouted, his blood boiling.

At that Bellatrix grabbed Draco and pulled him up to his room from the party, kicking and screaming on the way. When they reached the third floor she flung Draco into his room and left.

"Why Bea? Please save him," sobbed Draco. Tears were streaming down his face as fast as the rain was falling. Why would she stop him? He knew his father would've been angry but he wouldn't have hit him. He never hit him. Draco lay against his door. His chubby, pale face was soaked in tears; his hair was sweaty and ruffled but soon after he fell asleep.

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><p>When he awoke it was 9:15 and he heard the last of the guests saying their goodbyes. He got up and washed his face in a basin and tried to open the door but it was still locked.<p>

He waited for a while on his bed and at 9:25 it opened. It was his mother. She had brought him vegetable soup and a roll.

"Here, eat up," she said softly.

"I don't want it," Draco spat.

"I made it my self. You're going to have to suffer my cooking from now on."

"W-What do you mean"

"Mr Crouch from the ministry was there tonight and he saw your little drama. He decided that we shouldn't have anymore house elves, so he took them all." She said her voice still soft.

"Is- Is Father mad?" he questioned

"In the morning, son." She said leaning in but retracting after realising her actions. She stood up leaving the soup and roll, then left.

Draco sat picking at his roll for a while a stirred the soup continuously, until some time after, at 10:45, he heard a light knocking at the door. He got up and realised that his mother left the key on his side, so he opened it but there was nothing. So he shut the door again but the knocking came slightly harder. He got up once more and checked again, but still nothing. He was about to shut the door when he heard a light cough and he looked down. It was the house elf from the _incident. _

It spoke in a high pitched voice, "Dobby is at your service Sir."


	2. Chapter 2

2

_It's getting colder but I don't care, I don't care about anything anymore. Whatever life I have left will be drowned in the alcohol which has caused my sorrows. What I would do to be young again and to feel pain once more. It is too late for that. It has been too late for a long time._

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><p>Draco Malfoy stood in his newly polished doorway staring at the house elf which cried before him.<p>

"Dobby will always be at your service, sir. You save Dobby and Dobby is most grateful." The house elf wiped his nose with a piece of ripped cloth which hung from his arm. Draco knelt down because even though he was small in height, this equalled nothing compared to the 2"4' height of Dobby.

"I cannot free you Dobby but I will make your life easier around here," he whispered. "You can sleep under my bed at night and I'll make sure that father keeps you on here, which will not be hard because you're our only house elf now."

"Dobby knows, sir and Dobby is most grateful but if Dobby may inquire, could Dobby sleep under Masters bed now as it is getting ever late," Dobby asked, looking up at Draco with his huge moon-like eyes.

"Of course Dobby," Draco smiled. He had not smiled in a long time. "Oh and call me Draco," he looked at Dobby's shocked yet joyful face. Draco had always wanted a friend.

That morning Draco came down the crooked staircase as slowly as possible to avoid waking his father but to his dismay he found him sitting in his chair with an empty bottle of fire whiskey in his hand.

"Our family are in shame," he croaked. "I have been demoted and your mother has probably told you that we have lost all of our house elves so..."

"Not all of them," Draco interrupted. He wished that he hadn't but at his young age he wished nothing more than to please his father. Lucious didn't ask any questions but he spoke with a now clear and fresh tone, "Show me."

Draco sighed as he knew that he had no choice. He turned and led his father to his bedroom where he showed his shocked father a sleeping Dobby. He was curled up and for the first time Draco saw a house elf peaceful. Draco regretted his big mouth immediately and his father grabbed the house elf by the scruff and dragged him downstairs to the kitchen where he shut and locked the door. Just before the door had been closed completely Draco could hear the muffled squeak of Dobby "Help me, my friend!"

A tear almost escaped his eyes but he held it in, he knew that from now on to be a Malfoy meant to show no weakness.

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><p>Draco never saw Dobby as often as he had promised after that day. He only ever saw him at dinner time or when his father went out on "business". He soon realised that although he had gotten his first friend, he had also quickly lost it. And much worse news was to follow. About 4 days after the <em>incident <em>Draco's Aunt Bellatrix and Uncle Rudolphus came to the Manor to say their goodbyes. The Azkaban head, Madam Gertrude Texelton stood at the door waiting on them to finish their tears and grab onto the portkey into Azkaban. Madam Gertrude was a woman never to be messed with. She had deep brown eyes, which looked red in the sunlight and white hair which came down her back but was tied back in a tight bun. Many thought that Bellatrix was an evil woman but they had never met this woman. She obviously hated children because she kept grabbing the young Draco's shoulder and forcing a gruesome "smile".

As Rudolphus talked to Draco's father, Bellatrix made her way along a line of her family but she never cried, until she came to the end of the line. To Draco. She looked into his new, pale face and said nothing but two words, "Remember me."

"I will, Aunty Bea," Draco whispered in her ear and gave her hug, much to his father's anger. Draco knew that this would annoy him and that gave him more of a reason to do it.

When they had finished hugging, Madam Gertrude gave a short cough and a nod telling Bellatrix and Rudolphus that it was time to go. All three of them held onto an old brick which in seconds disappeared with them off to Azkaban.

Draco's life was falling apart before his youthful eyes and all he could do was run. He ran up to his bedroom and sobbed like he had done too often before.

All he had to look forward to was Hogwarts but even that was becoming unlikely.

He curled up on the bed and slept because only in his dreams was he truly free.

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><p><em>Sorry this chapter's so short. Promise they will get longer.<em>


End file.
